As midterm elections approach, many Democratic politicians have reduced mentions of climate change in speeches and public statements. The shift follows the 2024 presidential election loss. Experts debate whether the approach helps or harms the party.
Democratic politicians who once highlighted climate change as a major issue now mention it less often. The trend started after President Donald Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island remains an exception, having delivered versions of his “Time to Wake Up” speech more than 300 times. Whitehouse links climate change directly to higher costs for families. He cited increased property insurance, grocery bills, and health care expenses in a statement. Other Democrats appear to follow advice from think tanks and opinion pieces urging less focus on the topic. Political science professors Matto Mildenberger and Matt Burgess argue there is no strong evidence that discussing climate change hurts Democrats. Surveys show it can provide a small electoral benefit. Exit polls from the 2024 race indicated swing voters favored Harris on climate efforts by 21 points, though inflation and immigration ranked higher overall. Some Democrats now connect the issue to affordable clean energy. Polling from last fall found 41 percent of respondents wanted candidates to address global warming more often.
